Clinton Supporter Starts Website to Boost McCain

 Cattle rancher Ed Hale entered the fray of presidential politics last week and he struck a nerve.

Hale, 63, started a Web site, HCSFJM.com, from his home in the small panhandle city of Wellington. The acronym stands for Hillary Clinton Supporters for John McCain. It’s attracted over 1 million visitors, and more than 35,000 supporters have signed up as supporters, Hale said.

The site is one of dozens where Clinton supporters have been expressing their refusal to support Barack Obama in November.

Hale said he doesn’t trust Obama because of several controversial figures that the Illinois senator has previously associated with, including his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

“My mama always told me one thing and it’s the truth: Birds of a feather flock together,” Hale said.

Hale backed Clinton in the March 4 Texas primary and was elected a delegate to last week’s state convention. He said he chose to resign as a delegate after the Democratic National Committee made an “undemocratic” deal this month to seat some pro-Obama delegates from Michigan even though Obama wasn’t on the ballot.

Hale has previously been involved with other pro-Clinton political Web sites during the primary season, but this most recent one appears to have attracted the most interest and controversy.

Several liberal blogs, including DailyKos.com, have condemned Hale, arguing that he isn’t really a Democrat. Hale said he’s voted Democratic all his life except for one vote for Ronald Reagan.

His supporters are eager to organize and may form an independent political action group that would run ads against Obama in key swing states, Hale said. Another option may be to use his newfound network’s money and resources to find out information to use against Obama, he said.

“All this news media saying, ‘Oh, they’ll go back to Democrat,’” Hale said of his supporters. “I’ve got news for you. They’re not going to do it.”

abatheja@star-telegram.com
AMAN BATHEJA, 817-390-7695

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